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G. W. RICHARDSON.

APPARATUS POR TESTI-NGV SAFETY VALVES. No'.l2-95,585. Patented Mar. 25,1884.

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Il'Nirnn Sra'rns PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. RICHARDSON, OE BOSTON, MASS., ASSIGNOR TO THE CONSOLI- DATEDSAFETY VALVE COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONN. i

APPARATUS FOR TESTING SAFETY-VALVES.

SPECIFICATION forming partv of Letters Patent No. 295,585, dated March25, 1884.

V l Application filed February 21, 15.183.V (No model.)

.To all whom it may oon/cern.-

Be it known that I, .GEORGE WV. RICHARD- SON, of Boston, county ofSuffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in `Apparatus `for Testing Safety-Valves, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon.

My invention has relation to apparatus or means intended to be used intesting safetyvalves. These valves, when finished, are usually set toblow off under steam-pressure of a certain degree, and have heretoforebeen tested and adjusted by applying one after another upon an ordinarysteam-boiler, noting the pressure at which they blow off, and also thepressure at the instant they close under the action of the spring, andregulating the tension of the spring until the required action issecured. In making these tests according to former methods, the fireunder the boiler is required to be regulated, the damper opened, and thelire banked or covered and otherwise manipulated so as to obtain thedesired steampressure. This management of the fire scriously interfereswith the use of the boiler for other purposes, and frequently compels`the boiler to be given up for the sole purpose` of testing, and allthis at the expense of time, attendance, and fuel. In the use of thelarge boiler for testing purposes,the temperature of the water thereinmust be reduced a certain number of degrees before the valves can closedown after blowing, and as the volume of water is generally large thisreduction and subsequent elevation of temperature effects a further lossin fuel.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, cheap, and eiicientapparatuswhereon the valves may be tested and regulated, preservingwithin itself all the conditions of steam and waterV as in the ordinaryboiler, wherein without interfering with other uses for which the mainboiler may be intended, effecting a large saving in fuel, dispensingwith any extra attendance,`and greatlyfacilitating the op- `5o erationof testing the valves.

the heat and pressure may be regulated at will To accomplish all of thismy invention involves the provision of a vessel or boiler of anysuitable size without regard to the size of the main boiler, whereon arethe steam-gages,wa ter-cocks, and all necessary appendages, same as onthe main boiler, this supplemental vessel being arranged to be heated bysteam from any source, and certain novel and useful relativearrangements or combinations of parts and peculiarities of construction,all of which 6o will be herein rst fully described, and then pointed outin the claims. i

In the accompanyingdrawing, forming part of this specification, I haveshown a sectional elevation 0f au apparatus constructed and ar- 65ranged to operate in accordance with my invention.

lA is the shell of the supplemental boiler or apparatus, ,within whichsteam and water are confined, Y 7o B is a valve governing acommunication with the interior of the vessel, and its casing or thebushing therein affording a seat for the safety-valve to be tested. Anynumber of these valves B may be employed.

C represents a safety-valve in position.

For convenience ofapplying safety-valves of different sizes, I providereducers, as a, by which the threaded seat or joint in casing of valve Bmay be contracted, as will bereadily understood. Correspondingarrangements may be made so as to afford a seat or joint for asafety-valve having a male or female screw at the base thereof, theprinciples being the same in all cases.

D D D are gage-cooks by which the height of water in the vessel may bedetermined. The ordinary water-tube (not shown) may also be applied, ifdesired.

E is a steam-gage, of any ordinary pattern, by which the pressure withinthe vessel is indicated. Any required number of gages may be applied.This apparatus may be located at any point above or below, near to orremote from, the steam-boiler which supplies the heat or steam, and thusafford a convenience in respect to location, for testing not hithertopossible with the ordinary boilen F is a steam-pipe connecting theimproved apparatus with any boiler, and serving to suproo ply therequisite heat. It has a valve, f, by Which the fiow of steam may be cutoff or regulated at any instant, and thus the heat and pressure withinthe apparatus be governed easily, accurately, and quickly.

According to the size of valve being tested, the amount of Water in theVessel is regulated (the larger the valve the more water is needed) andsteam introduced, bringing this water to the required temperature, andthere are then in the apparatus all the conditions of water, heat, andpressure, the same as in the ordinary boiler. The pressure at which thevalve rises or commences to blow is readoft' from the gage, and also thepressure at which the valve closes down, and the tension of thevalve-spring is adjusted accordingly. The small quantity of water in thevessel will diminish in temperature much more rapidly than the largerquantity in the main boiler,

. and will be restored again more quickly and `with less expenditure of`heat or fuel. Thus the tests may be made, and after adjustment berepeated with great rapidity and quite economically. p

In order to insure rapid heating of the water in the vessel by theincoming current of steam, I prefer to employ a heater-pipe, as G, inthe bottom of the vessel. This pipe is perforated at bottom, and theentering steam mingles with the water and escapes from the pipe throughthe perforations along its lower line, thus effectually and thoroughlyheating all the water in the vessel; and to further facilitate theheating I may employ the pipe II, communicating with the interior of thevessel. This I term a runaround77 With it the end of the enteringsteam-pipe is formed into a nozzle,which prpjects into the heater pipe,being located over one end of the runaround. The current of steam on itsway to the heater-pipe carries with it (on the principle ofthe injector)a quantity of water from pipe H, the same being constantly replaced bywater from the bottom of the vessel. This makes a rapid circulation ofthe water and facilitates the heating process.

Although this provision for circulation is advantageous and desirable,and is a subordinate feature of my invention, I desire it understoodthat the apparatus may be employed without it, or with some other systemfor producing circulation,and still be within the main principles of myinvention; but in anyevent the conduit for steam from the main boilershould discharge its steam into the apparatus below the level of thewater in said apparatus, in order that the advantages of heating thewater may be attained as above set forth.

The apparatus constructed and arranged for operation substantially inaccordance with the foregoing explanations is found in practice toadmirably answer all the purposes or objects of my invention, aspreviously stated. Vith my improved apparatus, even if the main boilerbe used for testing purposes alone, the pressure in it can be kept atany degree above that at which the valves to be tested are desired toblow off, and the care of the firing would be little compared with thatrequired in the old manner of testing on the ordinary boiler.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-` 1. In an apparatus for testingsafety-valves, f

the heater-pipe located in the lower part of the shell, perforated onits under side, and arranged to receive steam from a remote boiler,

substantially as and for the purposes set forth. 2. In an apparatus fortesting safety-valves, the combination, with the shell and heaterpipe,'of a supplementary pipe or run-around and a nozzle upon the steam-pipe,located and arranged substantially as shown, so as to produce acirculation of water, for the purposes and objects explained'.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand inthe presence of

